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(iii) Where the sum due on a Savings Bank Account is payable to two or more nominees, and
either or any of them dies, the balance shall be paid to the surviving nominees or nominee.
On the death of the last surviving nominee or the sole nominee, the claim in respect of
the account will be settled in favour of the legal heir of the last deceased nominee and
not in favour of the LEGAL heir of the deceased depositor.
(iv) If any of the nominees is a minor on the death of the depositor, the application for claim shall
be made by a person appointed by the depositor in the nomination form under sub section (3)
of Section 4 of Government Savings Banks Act, 1873 or if no such person has been
appointed, by his guardian. (v) On receipt of the claim form at the post office where account
stands, the Postmaster will verify the claim with nomination register, and if the claim is in
order, issue a sanction for payment of the balance to the nominee(s) making a suitable note in
the register of nominations, application for nomination and ledger folio. The nominee(s)
should be satisfactorily identified by taking ID proof and address proof before payment is
made. No separate account closure form is required to be taken and receipt of the
amount should be taken in the claim form itself at the time of payment which will be
treated as account closure voucher. Photocopy or Duplicate Copy of this form should be
kept in the claim case file as office copy. Where there is more than one surviving nominee,
payment may be made to the nominee(s) who want(s) to take payment of his/their share(s)
leaving the share(s) of the other nominee(s) in the account. In that case, the Postmaster should
detain the pass book and issue notice to the other nominee(s) intimating the fact of payment to
the nominee(s) who has/have taken payment and calling upon him/them to take payment of
his/their share(s) and the availability of the pass book with the post office. The pass book will
be entered in the register of undelivered pass books in deposit in the Head Office and will be
disposed of like other pass books in deposit. Where the payment is made by a sub office, the
pass book will be forwarded by the sub office to the Head Post Office for safe custody.
Note 1 :-The Time Scale S.P.M..or Selection Grade SPM can sanction the claim only up to the limit
for which he is competent irrespective of whether there is a nomination or whether the claim
is supported by the legal evidence or not. In cases where there is nomination or legal evidence
and the amount exceeds the powers of the Time Scale S.P.M, or Selection Grade SPM, the
claim shall be sanctioned by the Head Postmaster concerned after necessary scrutiny of the
documents to whom such cases will be referred by the sub postmaster. In case of RD/MIS, all
SPMs except those posted in single and double handed post offices can sanction claims
irrespective of any balance if nomination is registered in their office. In SCSS, all SPMs can
sanction claims irrespective of the amount in balance if nomination is registered.
Note 2 :- The Sub Postmasters will sanction the claim after verification of the balance in the account
and particulars of nomination from the records of the Head Post Office. This procedure will
also be adopted by the Divisional Superintendents while sanctioning the claims.
Note 3 :-The post office is required to give precedence to the nominee over all other persons staking
claims on the amount while settling deceased claims cases and such payment to the nominee
absolves the post office from all future liability in respect of the deposit. However, if any
legal heir preferred claim on the basis of a Succession Certificate, Probate of Will or Letter of
Administration of the deceased estates issued by any court of law before sanctioning of claim
in favour of nominee, claim shall be settled in favour of Succession Certificate/Probate of
Will or Letter of Administration holder.
(3) Claims supported by legal evidence:- When a claim is received supported by legal evidence
such as succession certificate under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 or a Probate of will or
Letter of administration of the deceased estate and there is no nomination, the claimant will
be requested to prefer claim in the same form prescribed for claim on the basis of nomination
by striking out the irrelevant portion. The claim should be sanctioned by the Head Postmaster
even if the claim is preferred before the expiry of the period of three months from the date of